Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Warming Chicken Food On A Cold Day


My girls have been blasted with freezing temperatures, after a few weeks of really nice Spring weather. It is springtime in the Rockies, so it's no surprise to me. Lucy's adopted peeps are only 3 months old.
They don't know what to think. She's a good chicken mama, so I know they are well taken care of. The mama in me wants to help, though. I'm making a Pot Roast tomorrow, so that's where I started. 



I kept my leftover ends from my carrots. There was some celery in the fridge that had a few wilted leaves. I decided not to use it for my roast. Instead, I threw the wilted leaves out and used the rest for my girls. 





I also found a butternut squash from last fall. It's in perfect condition. That's why it's called winter squash. As long as it's stored correctly it will last all winter. 






A cup of rice and a couple cups of water will add to their treat. I spiced it with cinnamon (which is warming and good for their repiratory system), and cayenne pepper (which is also warming and keeps their circualtion moving). 



As I write this, Kevin asks me if I was making something with cinnamon. I laughed and told him what I was making for the girls. He said that he might have some, too. Ok, so he is more than welcome to it, but I really don't think he wants any. Maybe I will make some cinnamon rolls later. HA!



I've got it in my pressure cooker on high for 30 minutes. Zip. It's done. It's a warm treat for my cold girls on a freezing day.







The girls love squash seeds, so I'm adding them back into the mix. They're good for intestinal health.







Dennis needs lessons in sharing, so I'm making two bowls. Hopefully, she doesn't chase everyone away from both. 

I'm telling on Kevin. He had to taste at this point. He said it was pretty good. 😋






I quick sprinkle of dried mealworms is like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae. I find the girls very reluctant to venture out of the coop and into the covered run. Lucy has her girls by the doorway, but needs a little enticing.





Food always does the trick. Of course, Dennis leads the way.










Sissy isn't far behind. 











Lucy finally gets her kids outside to eat. I can tell that they really don't understand this weather. Daisy is the brave one. She goes first.







Doris and Dixie have summoned their courage.












Sally Sue is my timid one. I'm glad that she's getting her share.












They're pretty happy about the meal. They made quick work of it and went back inside. 
  • leftover ends of carrots
  • celery I found in the fridge, cleaned and chopped
  • butternut squash, peeled and chopped
  • 1 C wild rice
  • 2 C water
  • 1 T cayenne pepper
  • 1 T ground cinnamon

You can see it's not an exact science. I peeled my squash. I didn't use the leftover onion ends and peels from my roast, because I've heard onions are toxic to them. Nor did I give them any of my potato. They can eat cooked potato, just not green skins. I'm not peeling potatoes for my girls. Besides, we eat the potato, skins and all (we don't eat green skins either!). They are getting my carrot ends, cooked soft for them. The spices are practically medicine. Rice is a favorite of my girls. It's good too, as long as it's cooked. 



I can't stress enough that a warm meal is good, but water is crucial. Chickens need clean, fresh water daily. On freezing days, the water has to be changed when it freezes. Metal bowls freeze faster. On hot days, the birds require more water, so they drink it. It disappears faster than you might think. Check their water, at least twice a day and more on days with extreme temperatures. Their lives depend on it. 💓🐤💓

2 comments:

  1. I love that you're such a good Mama :-)

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  2. They really are like kids. I'm glad that Lucy knows how to be a good mama!!!

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